Filipino Rebels Offer Their Guns For A Comprehensive Settlement

December 14, 1986|United Press International

MANILA, Philippines -- Philippine guerrillas would lay down their arms if negotiations with the Aquino administration result in a broad-based transition government and a combined army of rebels and regulars, the Communist Party said Saturday.

At a news conference, spokesmen for eight organizations under the communist-dominated National Democratic Front outlined for the first time their objectives in the second phase of peace talks with President Corazon Aquino`s government. The first phase resulted in a 60-day cease-fire.

Rolando Bello, spokesman for the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines, said the rebels would lay down their arms permanently if a ``comprehensive settlement`` is reached.

``This can be within the framework of the formation even of a transitional government of broad participation,`` Bello said.

Initially, the rebel New People`s Army ``may still remain as a distinct separate armed force but gradually or progressively, it may or can be integrated with the patriotic and democratic elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and with other independent armed forces to form a genuinely patriotic national army,`` Bello said.

The armed forces chief, Gen. Fidel Ramos, ruled out integration of the New People`s Army into the regular army Thursday.

The state news agency said Saturday that the regional commander, Brig. Gen. Mariano Adalem, and the rebel forces on the strife-torn island of Mindanao agreed Friday to join forces in hunting criminals during the two- month cease-fire.

Government negotiator Teofisto Guingona met with rebel negotiators two hours Saturday to discuss the weapons ban and other cease-fire issues. Later, they agreed in a joint statement that, despite strains, ``the substance`` of the pact had not been broken.

Front negotiator Saturnino Ocampo said in a separate statement the second stage of the talks is scheduled for early January.

Bello said ``peace negotiations should realistically address the fact that in our country today, there has arisen a major political and military force,`` referring to the front and the New People`s Army.

Front negotiator Carolina Malay said the rebel panel did not propose a ``power-sharing arrangement`` during the four months of talks that led to the cease-fire.

Aquino has repeatedly ruled out power-sharing with the communists.

Earlier Saturday, the cease-fire monitoring committee could not agree on a definition of ``population centers`` where the 23,000 rebel fighters are banned from carrying weapons during the cease-fire period.